A Different Choice
by kateydidnt
Summary: One small choice, made differently, changed history. Now the Harry we know is thrown into a world that is very different. Not a normal AU!
1. A Different Choice

Summary: Ok, I was thinking about the various AU fics out there and the switching reality fics and I thought of where in time each of those fics dispersed from cannon. So then I thought to myself, what if it wasn't a different Halloween of 1981 that started a new timeline, but something much later. What if a single choice that Harry made in his second year drastically changed the history of the world. Then just after (cannon) Harry's seventh year, Voldemort attacks him again. In a desperate burst of uncontrolled magic, Harry transports himself to another world, one where everything is different from his own. And the disparity between the worlds originated in: **A Different Choice**

_"Kill this time ... let me rip ... tear. . ."_

_He shouted aloud and Ron and Hermione both jumped away from him in alarm._

_"The voice!" said Harry, -looking over his shoulder. "I just heard it again - didn't you?"_

_Ron shook his head, wide-eyed. Hermione, however, clapped a hand to her forehead._

_"Harry - I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!"_

_And she sprinted away, up the stairs._

_"What does she understand?" said Harry distractedly, still looking around, trying to tell where the voice had come from._

_"Loads more than I do," said Ron, shaking his head._

_"But why's she got to go to the library?"_

_"Because that's what Hermione does," said Ron, shrugging. "When in doubt, go to the library."_

Harry stood, irresolute, trying to catch the voice again, but people were now emerging from the Great Hall behind him, talking loudly, exiting through the front doors on their way to the Quidditch pitch.

_"You'd better get moving," said Ron. "It's nearly eleven - the match -"_

_-Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets_

Spring 1993 

"You'd better get moving," said Ron. "It's nearly eleven-the match –" 

Harry shook his head, "I'm going to find Hermione. The voice was talking about _killing_ Ron. I'm not sure where it is, what if Hermione gets hurt? Why don't you run up to the tower and get my broom and Hermione and I will meet you back here in the entrance hall." With that Harry ran off, leaving Ron no choice but to do as he asked.

Running back to the entrance hall Ron saw no sign of Harry. Figuring he must have headed on down to the Quidditch Field Ron went outside to give him his broom.

"Ron! Where is Harry?" Fred and George ran over to him, "The game's about to start!"

"You mean he's not already here?" Ron asked, getting worried.

Just then, over Ron's shoulder, the twins spotted Professor McGonagall running across the lawn carrying a large purple microphone.

"Attention students! This match has been canceled. All students are to return to their common rooms immediately. Your Heads of House will give you further information."

Oliver Wood protested vehemently but the Professor would not relent, instead she just ordered Oliver to shut up, literally. Oliver, stunned by this abnormal behavior from his Head of House, simply followed the mass of students returning to the castle. 

Professor McGonagall caught Ron's arm, "Mr. Weasley, please come with me."

Ron looked startled as he heard an odd tone in his teacher's voice, one that he couldn't identify.

She lead him to a statue of a gargoyle and said "Lemon drop*" and the stone figure jumped aside, revealing a moving stairwell.

Ron, still wondering what was going on, was surprised to find they entered the Headmaster's office at the top of the stairs.

"Thank you, Minerva. Now, would you please talk to your students," Dumbledore said, facing the window instead of the two guests in his office.

The woman left quickly.

"Mr. Weasley," the headmaster sighed and turned around, regarding the student before him. Ron, startled by the expression of sorrow on the man's face, said nervously, "Sir?"

"Can you please tell me what happened after you and your friends left the Great Hall."

"Well, um, we were in the entrance hall and Harry-" Ron stopped abruptly, Harry had never told the headmaster about the voice he kept hearing.

"Mr. Weasley, it is very important that I know exactly what happened, you are not in any trouble. I just need to know what happened."

Ron sighed, "Harry has been hearing a voice. Neither Hermione nor I can hear it. He heard it on Halloween and a few moments later we found Mrs. Norris petrified. Anyway, he said he heard it again in the entrance hall.  Hermione had a sudden epiphany and ran off to the library to look something up. Harry followed a few moments later because he wanted to make sure that whatever the voice belonged to didn't harm her. He asked me to get his broom and meet him back in the entrance hall."

Albus closed his eyes briefly and let out a great sigh. "Mr. Weasley, there has been another attack. Ms. Granger and Ms. Penelope Clearwater have both been petrified."

Ron paled, "Where's Harry?"

"Mr. Weasley," Albus shook his head and started over, "Ron, Harry is dead."

*Please remember people that, depending on whether you have the British or American version of Chamber of Secrets, it says either Sherbet Lemon or Lemon drop. Obviously, I have the American version.

A/N: Ok anyone reading any of my other fics probably wants to kill me about now because I'm starting a new story. But this little baby just popped into my head and asked to be written. 


	2. The Same Old Harry

The Same Old Harry 

The Headmaster sat in his chair by the fireplace, contemplating the horrendous event that had taken place that morning.

Harry Potter was dead. 

Albus Dumbledore had lost many people he cared for in his long life. However, _this_ death upset him particularly for a number of reasons. He had been so young! Only twelve, yet his life was snuffed out so quickly. He had hardly discovered his true heritage as a wizard after years of not knowing and then that time was cut short so abruptly. 

Harry had been a brave young man, kind and trusting too. 

And he had been Albus' student. Albus' responsibility. Now he was dead. Nothing could alleviate the guilt that Albus felt.

A voice interrupted the thoughts of the headmaster.

"Sir? I have a message for you."

Albus turned slowly and found the Hufflepuff ghost in his study.

"Friar, I do not wish to be disturbed right now."

"I know Albus, but this is rather important. I am delivering a message to you from someone else."

"And why can't this person deliver it in person?" Albus' temper was not the best at the moment.

"That's just it sir, he does not wish to startle you."

"What do you mean?" Albus said impatiently.

"Harry Potter sir, asked me to introduce him to you as Hogwarts newest ghost."

Beside the Fat Friar there suddenly appeared another ghost.

"I didn't want to scare you Professor Dumbledore." 

The Hufflepuff ghost left the study as the headmaster stared in sadness and in wonder at the twelve-year-old's ghost.

"Harry, I…I'm sorry." The headmaster stopped and bowed his head in his hands tears seeping down his worn face.

"Headmaster, my death was not your fault. It was the fault of whomever opened the Chamber of Secrets and let that bloody snake out. Just out of curiosity, what kind of snake is that? I've never studied magical creatures before."

The headmaster stared at the ghost again. The boy was taking his own death better than he was! Finally, he just answered, "It is a basilisk.  They kill with their stare. Harry…can you tell me what happened?"

"Well, I was following Hermione to the library.  Halfway there, I got caught in the stairwell and it took me a moment to get my leg out of the stairs. I was around the corner from the library when I heard the voice again it was saying something like, _I wanted to kill!_ So, I ran around the corner.  The first thing I saw was Hermione and Penelope petrified. I was frantic to find out who did it and I looked up and saw the snake and died," Harry ended quite matter-of-factly.

"Where were your glasses? You should not have…died…if you saw the basilisk through your lenses?" wondered Dumbledore.

"My glasses?" Harry scrunched up his face for a moment trying to remember, "Oh! Right. When my leg got caught in the stairwell they fell off my face and snapped because my knee pressed them against the next step.  I just stuck them in my pocket."

"I am sorry Harry. A student's death, while I am Headmaster, is my responsibility. I cannot forgive myself for letting this happen."

"You didn't _let_ anything happen, professor! I know you've been trying your best all year to find out who has been doing this! Or, rather, how. You seem to know who is responsible." Harry mused.

Dumbledore's eyebrows shot up, "I take it you were awake that night in the infirmary?"

Harry nodded a little bit sheepishly and then started speaking again, "If anything, I was stupid not to tell you all I knew when I was in your office just after Justin and Nearly-Headless Nick were attacked."

"About that, Harry, why did you not?"

Harry sighed and shrugged, floating higher in his agitation at himself, "I don't really know, sir. I really should have said something about the voice I kept hearing. Oh, I guess I should fill you in on everything that happened this past week.

"In early ­January, Ron and I were passing Myrtle's bathroom and we saw that she was flooding it so we went in to see what made her so upset. Anyway, someone had thrown a diary into her toilet and it upset her. I picked up the diary and took it back with me to the common room.  It had nothing written in it, but it did have a name written on it.  It said T.M. Riddle," at this point Harry was too involved in his story to notice the Headmaster's sudden change in posture.  He sat straight up and started listening intently, "Ron remembered the name from the trophy room; it was on some award for special services to the school, fifty years ago. Hermione thought that it might be important because we know the Chamber was opened fifty years ago too. But Ron pointed out that there was nothing written in it so it wasn't much help.  I just kept it in my trunk.  Then I decided to open it up again.  I dripped a bit of ink onto its pages by accident and it disappeared, so I wrote my name and that disappeared too. Then the diary answered. I asked Riddle about the Chamber of Secrets and he showed me his memory of…well, of Hagrid being blamed for it. Anyway, then last week the diary went missing again. I got back to my room and found it ransacked and the diary was gone. So, whoever has it must be a Gryffindor."

The headmaster stood and started pacing, mumbling to himself, "So _that's_ how he did it!"

"Sir?"

"Harry, do you have _any_ idea who might be in current possession of that diary? It is vitally important."

"No sir, why?"

"Because that diary is responsible for your death. Tom Riddle opened the Chamber of Secrets, Harry and then framed Hagrid for it. No one else believed me fifty years ago when I suspected Tom, but I _knew_ he opened it last time, and only he could open it this time."

"What do you mean sir? How could Riddle open the Chamber of Secrets?"

Dumbledore stopped pacing and looked straight into Harry's pale, translucent eyes. "Tom Marvolo Riddle is Voldemort.  He is also the Heir of Slytherin."

Harry gaped and then shook himself and asked, "So what is with the diary?"

"I assume he implanted part of his own soul and power into the diary so it could feed off another human soul and he could control the victim in order to continue after he left Hogwarts. We need to find that diary now!"

There was a knock at the study door and Dumbledore glanced quickly at Harry, who immediately went invisible. The headmaster opened the door to find a sobbing Ginny Weasley and a rather distraught Minerva McGonagall. 

"Headmaster, I am sorry but Miss Weasley insist on seeing you. She claims to know something about the attacks."

"Thank you Minerva, I'll just take her, you can return to your post." Dumbledore said taking hold of Ginny's shoulders and leading her into his study.

"Sit down Miss Weasley, calm down my dear." He said soothingly, "Now, what do you want to tell me?" he asked, hoping fervently that she was not the one who was possessed by the Dark Lord.

"I…I th…think I k…killed H…H…Harry!" she sobbed brokenly.

Albus closed his eyes in sympathy for what this child had gone through.

"Ginny," he said gently, "do you have the diary with you?"

This startled Ginny so completely that she stopped crying and stared at the headmaster.

"Where is the diary?" He asked again.

She stuck a trembling hand into her pocket, pulled out the old diary, and handed it to the Headmaster. Albus took the diary from her and set it down on the floor and then pulled out his wand and started voicing various incantations.

After a few moments ink started to spurt from the diary, it gushed over the carpet and the liquid burbled as though it were the life blood flowing out of a body. Eventually the flood ebbed and the diary sat on the carpet, surrounded by the pool of black.

"The diary has no more power over you Ginny, it no longer has a life of its own." The headmaster sat beside the child who had started sobbing again.

"But, I …killed…h…Harry!"

"No you did not, Tom was controlling you. I am amazed that you had the strength to throw the diary away in the first place all those weeks ago and too that you had the strength to come here now. Tell me, why did you take the diary back?"

"Be…because, I s…saw Harry w…with it," she hiccupped, "I w…was af…fraid of what T…tom might tell h…him." She cried a moment to herself and then looked at the headmaster, "Am I g..going to be e..expelled?" she asked in a fearful whisper.

"No Ginny, you are not going to be expelled. You did nothing wrong."

"I killed Harry!" she screamed out and buried her head once more in her arms. Albus was distressed; he could see that Ginny was not going to believe him.  She would continue blaming herself.

Another voice came to his rescue, "Ginny, you did not kill me." Harry reappeared and said firmly.

Ginny's head whipped up and she almost fainted at the sight of the ghost.

"Harry?" she said in a strangled whisper.

"Ginny, _you did not kill me_. I do not blame you for my death.  There is only one person to blame and that is Voldemort who is despicable enough to use a child to commit crimes. He _used_ you Ginny, as you would a tool that has no life of its own.  You could not help it; you had no choice in the matter."

"Miss Weasley, I think you need some rest. Will you allow me to give you a sleeping potion?" Dumbledore asked her, seeing how exhausted, both physically and emotionally, she was."

Ginny nodded, still staring at Harry. Dumbledore crossed the study and opened a door, "You may sleep here in my guest quarters." He led the now silent girl into the room and gave her a sleeping potion.

"Now, Harry, how do you wish to break the news to the others about your, ah, shall we say post mortem existence?"

"Please tell Ron privately. He deserves to know first.  I only revealed myself to Ginny because she needed it so badly."

Dumbledore nodded, "Do you want to do this now?"

"Please, he needs to know."

"Very well, we will go to his room now. Then I will call a staff meeting and notify them. Would you like to come?"

Harry went invisible and said, "Yes."

All of the teachers who were standing at various posts around the school were surprised to see the headmaster outside of his study and even more surprised at the slight twinkle in his eye.  They waited anxiously for the staff meeting to convene (after he told them of course) so they could find out more information.

When the headmaster entered the Gryffindor common room, it was to a very subdued audience.  Most, if not all, showed signs of crying.

"Mr. Weasley, where is your brother Ronald?" Albus asked Percy.

"He is in my Prefect's quarters, sir." Percy looked completely devastated.

"I need to speak with him right now.  Do you know if he is awake?"

"I think he is sir."

Albus nodded his thanks and walked up the stairs to the three private rooms that housed the Gryffindor male prefects.

Albus knocked lightly and heard a soft, "Go away."

He pushed open the door to find the young boy sitting in the windowsill staring across the grounds.  He didn't look to see who had entered.

"Ron, I need to speak with you," the Headmaster said gently, "A little over an hour ago the Fat Friar came into my study and introduced me to Hogwarts' newest ghost."

Ron looked over at Dumbledore blankly.

"Ron, Harry has become a ghost." Dumbledore explained simply. Harry appeared beside the headmaster.

Ron burst into tears at the sight.

"Harry, please join me in the staff room in thirty minutes.  Ron may accompany you if he wishes."

A/N well I'm not sure that ghost-Harry is the best thing to do in this story, but it was the only thing I could thing of to absolve Ginny. If you have any ideas please tell me. So, tell me if you think ghost-Harry is a good or bad idea. It can be either and it still fits the main plot.


	3. Reactions

Reactions

Cornelius Fudge, was, to say the least, a nervous wreck.  The letter from Hogwarts contained both good and bad news.  The good news was that there would be no more attacks because, evidently, the culprit had been caught (the Headmaster was un-obligingly vague about who exactly it _was_). However, the bad news was that a student had died. Not just any student, _Harry Potter_.  The Minister quickly made his way to Hogwarts to find out all he could and so he could do damage control with the media and his reputation.

He strode through the castle with false confidence that transformed his manner into surliness.  Entering the staff room, he found a very serious looking Dumbledore facing a faculty full of very upset faces. Even Severus Snape looked upset at whatever the Headmaster had just said.

"Headmaster!" Cornelius said sharply.

"Good evening Minister," Albus turned and greeted him with a nod, "I was just informing the staff of the specifics of Mr. Potter's death. He was killed by the stare of the basilisk, the same way young Miss Myrtle Tumble was killed fifty years ago.  She was a classmate of yours, was she not?"

"Dumbledore! How could this have happened? How did you let this happen? Do you know what people will _say_ about you and me? I have half a mind to dismiss you right now!" Fudge screamed.

Half the staff started to stand, ready to defend their headmaster if they needed to. Dumbledore held a hand up to stop them.

"Cornelius, I did all I could to prevent a disaster such as this from happening. However, what has happened has happened. The threat is no longer apparent, but its consequences are something we will all have to deal with. I don't care what the press says about me, I know what has happened and my responsibility in it. If the board of governor's sees fit to release me from my current position, I will step down."

There were gasps behind Albus as his staff heard these words.

"Well, I'm glad you see reason, Dumbledore," said Fudge calming down a bit, already trying to figure out how he could make Dumbledore look bad without tarnishing his own reputation, "I really doubt that anything short of a statement from the dead boy himself would be able to get you out of this one."

There was a small smile playing across Albus' lips that unsettled Cornelius.  Maybe the eccentric old wizard had finally gone insane.

"Then," said a voice behind Cornelius, "you shall have such a statement." Fudge whirled around and saw no one.

The teachers were all in various stages of shock at the voice-which Fudge did not recognize.

"'arry?" said a sniffling Hagrid.

"I'm sorry Hagrid, I really didn't mean to spring this on you like this. I wanted Professor Dumbledore to tell you first, but I _had_ to say something." With this statement, the ghost of Harry Potter appeared floating before the Minister of Magic.

"The Headmaster is not responsible for my death, nobody but the Heir of Slytherin is responsible for my death, and the Heir of Slytherin is Lord Voldemort. If you try and have him removed for this, I will _haunt_ you."

Fudge was completely pale. "Y…yes, Mr. Potter, I…I understand!" with that he fled.

The entire faculty burst into laughter (Snape included) as Dumbledore stared at Harry a little surprised.

"Harry, I've never seen you act this way."

"Well," shrugged Harry, "it was necessary. What could he do to me anyway?"

Snape snorted again, "Potter, you sound like a Slytherin."

Harry glanced at the Potion's master and a grin crept across his face, "Did I ever tell you that I had to beg the Sorting Hat to put me in Gryffindor? It wanted to put me in Slytherin. Professor Dumbledore," he said floating away from a stunned McGonagall and Snape, "I am going to return to talk with Ron some more"

The next morning the headline of the Daily Prophet read _Harry Potter Dies at Hogwarts!_ The story gave the barebones of the attacks that had occurred earlier that year and described how Harry had died. It was very careful to not lay blame on Albus Dumbledore or the Minister and instead just stated that the threat was no longer and that the children were once again safe.  Only in the last paragraph did it mention that Harry was now a ghost.

The reactions were varied among Britain's wizards and witches. Many were horror struck that the Boy-Who-Lived was dead. Others immediately started petitioning the Ministry for the closure of Hogwarts and still others demanded the dismissal of Dumbledore.

There were a substantial number of this latter group, so many in fact, that the Board of Governor's decided to hold a hearing on the matter. They requested Albus Dumbledore come to the hearing.  Harry accompanied, uninvited.

Lucius Malfoy spent an hour demanding Dumbledore's dismissal, going on about the safety of the students and the obvious incompetence of the Headmaster (and dropping not-so-subtle hints that _he_ should be the new headmaster). The most senior member of the board turned to Dumbledore and asked, "Do you have anything you wish to say?"

"I will comply with what the board sees as best for the students." Was all he would say.

This frustrated Harry to no end, so he decided to make himself known, "Well, if you won't say anything, then I will. Professor Dumbledore is not responsible for my death. He will remain headmaster of Hogwarts! No one is better for the job than he is. He has done a wonderful job in the years he has been headmaster and he should not be blamed for something that isn't his fault. I tell you now, if you dismiss him and name Malfoy as his successor, it will be much worse than me dying. Who do you think _orchestrated_ the opening of the Chamber of Secrets?" he yelled. His mind finally connected the clues that had been nagging him for a long time. He had been talking to Ginny and she revealed that she had found the diary in her transfiguration book, which Harry remembered was the same one that had been the cause of the fight that broke out between Mr. Weasley and Lucius Malfoy.  (A/N: I don't have the book open right now, so it might have been a different textbook, but I'm pretty sure it was the Transfiguration book.)

Harry ended up having to explain all he knew about the diary and what Malfoy had had to do with it.  In the end, it was enough to have Lucius Malfoy removed from the Board of Governors and restore confidence in Dumbledore, but not enough to get Malfoy arrested.

When the papers reported that Harry Potter's ghost had vouched for Dumbledore and demanded he remain Headmaster, most of the previous protestors had withdrawn their complaints.

As the school year ended, all the students waited eagerly for the Restorative draught to be finished so those petrified could be awakened.  Harry was very nervous though.  Hermione was going to get the shock of her life when she woke up.  They had discussed it with the Headmaster and decided that Ron would be the one to tell her the news, while the headmaster told the rest of the petrified students.

Ron fidgeted nervously as Madam Pomfrey administered the potion to Hermione.  Had he been less nervous he would have been fascinated with the process, which looked like Hermione was thawing.

When she was fully awake, she looked around frantically and realized where she was.  Then she grabbed Ron's robes and started saying, almost hysterically, "It's a basilisk! It was using the pipes to go through the school."

Madam Pomfrey left them alone.  She had thawed Hermione last so that all the others would be out of the infirmary so Ron could talk to Hermione privately.

"Calm down Hermione! I know, I know.  I need to tell you something though.

"What? Where's Harry?" Her eyes widened, "They aren't blaming _him_ are they?"

"No. Just calm down while I tell you, please." Hermione nodded, a little scared now, by the serious look in Ron's eyes. "Hermione, Harry ran after you that day in the entrance hall. He wanted to make sure the voice he had heard didn't harm you.  On his way to the library, his leg got stuck in the stairwell and so he took a little longer getting there. By the time he got there you and that Ravenclaw prefect were already petrified around the corner from the library. He found you and, well, Hermione, he looked around to see who had attacked you and looked the Basilisk full in the eyes.  He didn't have his glasses on because they had snapped on the stairwell."

"He…he's dead?" Hermione asked in a quivering voice. Ron nodded and Hermione burst into tears. "I can't believe he's dead." She mumbled.

Ron let her cry for a few minutes, "Hermione, I need to tell you something else."

She looked at him, tears still streaming down her face, "What?" she asked in an uninterested tone.

"Harry…is still around.  He became a ghost."

Hermione brought her hands up to her mouth in a gasp of surprise.

"Where is he?"

"Right here, Hermione," and Harry appeared to Ron's left.  Hermione started crying again.

After they got her calmed down, they told her all about Ginny and the diary (a story that was never leaked to the press nor the other students)

It was a strange adjustment to make, for all involved.  The students gradually got used to Harry floating around in the corridors and sometimes attending classes. He would stay with Ron and Hermione if at all possible.  No one really knew what he did at night, except for the Weasley twins who found out that he would go exploring at night.

Harry, on the other hand, had long talks with the Headmaster and Ginny, where he had to reiterate that neither was responsible. 

In late June, Harry and Albus were talking about the summer.  "Do you think I could visit the Weasleys or Hermione over the summer?"

"Well, I wouldn't recommend visiting the Granger home.  Muggles aren't used to ghosts.  However, you can certainly ask the Weasleys if you can visit.  You are also welcome to stay here at the castle.  Some of the ghosts leave for the summer, but others stay."

Suddenly Harry smiled and laughed.

"What is so amusing?"

"I don't have to live with the Dursleys anymore!"

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow and turned his full attention to the ghost. "Harry are you telling me that you prefer being _dead_ to living with your relatives?"

Harry thought about it and shrugged.

Dumbledore's eyes lost their sparkle and he looked at Harry, "Can I ask you some questions Harry? I have been meaning to, but it was never the right time."

"Sure, go ahead," Harry answered, noticing the sudden change in mood.

"You have … adjusted well to your death." _It's not often you hear that phrase, now is it?_ Harry thought wryly. "Well there isn't much I could do to change it." Harry said out loud.

"Yes, but you worry me a little bit. Did you _want_ to die Harry?"

Harry was startled, "No! I didn't _want_ to die."

"When you died what did you feel?" Dumbledore asked carefully.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Were you angry, sad, happy, what?"

"Well, mostly I was just surprised, I guess a little sad and angry, and slightly…" Harry trailed off, not wanting to say what else.

"Slightly what Harry?"

Harry sighed, "Slightly relieved. I thought I would be able to meet my parents. Well I guess that didn't happen."

"That is another thing I am puzzled about, why you became a ghost. Of course, there are no rules for why one person becomes a ghost and another does not, but for the most part, ghosts are those who were unhappy with life in general, or those who feel the need to atone for their actions in life or feel the need to continue in their duties after death.  Take the Friar for example, he once told me that he had become a ghost because he felt it his duty to continue serving this school; he was once headmaster of it, you know. Then there is the Bloody Baron; he … did not lead a very good life. The silver blood that is on his clothing is not his own, but in fact unicorn blood. His acts haunt him and so he haunts the place where he committed them, hoping someday to find peace. You fit none of these, I don't think."

"Is that how all ghosts are, sir? Just haunting forever?" Harry looked a little distraught at this prospect. Sure he was fine with it right now, but what about the future? When all the people he knew were dead and gone, he would be alone.

Dumbledore contemplated this for a moment and then the twinkle returned to his eyes, "I believe you have discovered it Harry! There are records of ghosts who have remained here for a time but then…moved on after an event.  I think Harry, that you are here because you need to be here and watch something happen, or do something."

Harry left the Headmasters office, thinking on this last bit and wondering what was so important that he could not _move on_ (as Dumbledore said) without it.

A/N: Arghhh! Terrible chapter! Sorry about this one.  I mean it was necessary, but it isn't good! Grrr. Oh, well, please review.  The next chapter should be up soon.


	4. And the world keeps on turning

A/N: Well, this chapter kind of flies through time, giving you the outline of history from Harry's death onward.  You learn about Remus coming to Hogwarts, Sirius' escape, Wormtail's rejoining Voldemort and Voldemort's Rebirth.  Whose blood will Voldemort use? Read to find out!

And the world keeps on turning…

Harry spent the first two weeks of summer at the Burrow with the Weasleys.  It took most of that time for Mrs. Weasley to stop crying every time she saw his ghostly form. However, when Mr. Weasley won the Daily Prophet Galleon Draw, Harry returned to the castle while they went on vacation.  Just a few days before Harry's birthday, Harry noticed a flurry of activity.  Ministry wizards were in and out all day long talking to Dumbledore.

At dinner, Harry finally got a chance to talk to Dumbledore.

"Sir what has been going on?"

Albus sighed and told him to meet him in his office after dinner.

Harry hurried up there to wait.

When Albus entered he sat down and sighed.

"Yesterday a prisoner escaped from Azkaban.  We don't know how.  But he was one of Voldemort's top Death Eaters.  His name is Sirius Black.  The Dementor's that guard Azkaban say that Black somehow managed to remain sane during the twelve years he was in there. They say that recently Black would keep mumbling, _He's at Hogwarts_. Since he was captured after Voldemort lost power we can only assume he wants to come after you.  He has no way of knowing about your death and I am afraid he will be coming to the school and will endanger the students."

"Oh" Harry thought for a moment, "What did he do to get put in Azkaban?"

Dumbledore sighed, "I was afraid you would ask that. When your parents were in school your father had a group of friends, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and Sirius Black.  After they graduated and your parents had you, they knew Voldemort was after them and so they decided to use the Fidelius Charm, which allows a secret to be hidden in one person.  Your parents chose Sirius.  A week later, he betrayed your parents to Lord Voldemort.  The next day Peter caught up with him, intent on revenge.  But Peter was no match for Sirius.  Sirius killed Peter and twelve Muggles with a single curse. He was sentenced to life in Azkaban."

Harry was silent for a moment then he said softly "Thank you for telling me." Then he started to float away.

"Harry, this year the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher is Remus Lupin your father's only remaining friend.  He will be arriving tomorrow."

Harry nodded and left.

An invisible Harry watched Remus Lupin enter the castle, greeted with smiles from Albus and McGonnogall and a look from Severus that rivaled the one he saved for Harry.

"Albus, could I …could I see Harry?" Remus asked as Albus was showing him to his quarters. 

"I'm sure he'll come to you some time.  He knows about your friendship and he knows about Sirius."

Remus sighed, "Why did you tell him?"

"I had no reason not to tell him; he deserves to know the truth.  By the way, Remus I wouldn't be surprised if he is following us right now."

Harry had to let out a small laugh and became visible a few feet in front of the two. "Hello, Professor Lupin." He smiled.

Remus gave him a weak smile.

Over the next few weeks, Remus and Harry had plenty of chances to get to know each other.  Harry enjoyed learning about his parents and Remus enjoyed getting to know the late son of his best friend.  His only regret was not being able to know Harry while he was still alive.

Meanwhile 

Sirius panted for breath and drank quickly from the stream.  Then he jumped in and swam across to clean his fur out a little bit and sooth his blistering paws.  He continued single-mindedly.  He could not let Wormtail get to Harry.  

Harry…his Godson.  While in Azkaban he could not remember what Harry had looked like, nor James and Lily.  The Dementors had stolen that away.  Now though, his memories of happier times were returning.

Harry was… what? Twelve? Sirius had to think hard for a minute.  Harry had been born in 1980, so that would mean he was turning thirteen. 

When he had first gotten out of Azkaban he had not known what day it was.  It was a week before he had found a little town where he could look at a newspaper.  He had been shocked to see the date; he hadn't realized how much time had elapsed between when he had seen Wormtail's picture and his escape. It was almost Harry's birthday. It had then taken three days for him to remember where Harry lived.  Lily's sister had never been someone he paid any attention to.

To make sure he was right he double-checked a phone book in a telephone booth late one night. Then he just started walking.

He arrived in Surrey on Harry's birthday. He just wanted a glance at the boy before he set out to find the Weasley house and Wormtail.  He trotted up to the backdoor and put an ear to it to hear what was going on.

"…non, what happened to the little brat again?" said a slightly slurred female's voice.

"He died in an accident at school, Marge." A man said gruffly as though he couldn't decide what he thought of this fact.

"Most likely fooling around where he wasn't supposed to.  His own fault, I'll wager.  Well, now he's off your hands and you'll be blessed for caring for him all these years. Worthless little thing, as useless as his parents, he was. What did that Potter do again?"

"He was …erm…unemployed Marge."

"As I thought! You know it's probably a good thing their son is dead, one less unemployed homeless bum for use to pay taxes to support."

Sirius had heard enough. He was trembling with anger and grief.  He started running. He kept on running.  _How had it happened? Had it been Wormtail?_ Thoughts raced through his mind.  He finally halted he found a large fallen tree that had a crevice he could curl up in.  He got in, transformed, and started to cry.

Meanwhile 

Wormtail listened avidly to the WWN to see if they had caught Sirius yet.  They hadn't. No one could figure out how he was hiding so well.  Wormtail knew.  

He heard the announcement from Fudge that he had alerted the Muggle Prime Minister so now all Muggles were on the look out too.  He was about to stop listening for the night when he heard something that chilled him.

Late-breaking news folks! The Ministry has finally released a statement detailing what was known about Sirius Black before he escaped Azkaban.  Black had, according to the Minister of Magic himself, remained sane during his twelve-year incarceration.  Guards report that over the past few weeks he had been heard to mumble, "He's at Hogwarts." No one knows what exactly he meant by this.  Some suspect that he is trying to go after Harry Potter, who caused his master's downfall.  Black has no knowledge of the news that rocked the wizarding world five months ago-the death of Harry Potter. However, Black may be headed to Hogwarts.

_According to an anonymous source the Weasley family-a prominent old family whose current patriarch works for the Ministry- may also be in trouble.  This same source reveals that a part of a newspaper was found in Black's cell. One page had been torn in half and it is assumed that Black kept it.  The part that he kept was the picture of the Weasley family on their recent vacation to Egypt._

This has been your late-breaking news broadcast brought to you by….

Wormtail was terrified.  How could he have been so stupid, to let his picture be put in the newspaper?  He had been sitting in plain view there in Ron's shoulder! Of course, no one seemed to know how Sirius had gotten the paper, but what if Remus had seen it instead of Sirius?

It was time to leave.  Wormtail high-tailed it from the Burrow the next day.

Meanwhile, back at Hogwarts 

The staff that were left at the school were eating a late dinner and Harry was conversing with Remus and Hagrid when suddenly a fork clattered to the floor. Everyone looked to the source of the noise.  Sybil Trelawney went rigid and flopped back in her seat.  Harry looked at the teacher a little strangely, he didn't really know her, but ever since he had died she would always tear up and start wailing about discontent spirits every time she encountered him alone in the hallway.

"Sybil?" Minerva said with a note of concern in her voice that surprised Harry because he knew they disliked each other a lot.  Dumbledore raised a hand to quiet his Deputy Head and stared intently at the woman.

THE HIDDEN ONE HAS NOW BROKEN FREE…HE FLEES FROM HIS SAFE HAVEN AND SEEKS HIS OLD MASTER…THE DARK LORD IS NO LONGER FRIENDLESS…HE WILL RISE…HE WILL RISE AGAIN…MORE POWERFUL THAN EVER…THE TRAITOR REJOINS HIS MASTER…TONIGHT.

Complete silence filled the hall as all stared at the woman. She suddenly jolted as though she had fallen asleep. Blinking rapidly she looked around confused at the stares. "What happened?"

Minerva was about to answer when Dumbledore cut in benignly, "Nothing Sybil.  You might want to pick up your fork."

Conversation slowly resumed. After dinner, it seemed the natural thing for all those curious about what had happened to migrate to the Headmaster's office.

When Minerva, Hagrid, Remus, Severus and Harry were all gathered, they looked expectantly at the Headmaster.

He sighed, "To answer the question you are all _not_ asking, I think Sybil has spoken a true prediction.  She remembers nothing of her trance predictions, yet they are the ones that prove truest. I am afraid we must now prepare for the possibility of the return of Voldemort.  Do not tell anyone, I don't want to create panic, but keep your ears open please.  Severus, you especially, find out what you can.  The prophecy is a bit puzzling though. I would welcome any interpretations you might have. Now go to sleep if you have nothing important to say."

Slowly they left the office pondering the prophecy and Dumbledore's words.

When school started up the students moved around nervously due to the aurors that had been brought in. There had been no sightings of Sirius Black at all, which made everyone even more nervous.

Sirius had traveled to the castle once, using the old passage from the shrieking shack.  He had crept into the building, keeping in the shadows.  The first thing that met his nose was a familiar scent. _Remus!_ Sirius quickly left and didn't return.

In October, the students went on their first Hogsmeade weekend.  Sirius stayed hidden near the Shrieking shack, but watched the students moving around, feeling nostalgic about his own school days.

He was startled as two students separated themselves and made their way up the path.  One was a brown-haired girl and the other a redheaded boy.

They seemed to be fighting about something.

"Ron, don't blame Crookshanks! You were complaining about Scabbers being missing when I first got to the Burrow, long before I bought Crookshanks!"

"Well then where is Scabbers?"

"How should I know where your pet rat is? He is _yours_!"

Sirius practically jumped and looked closer at the red haired boy.  He was the one from the newspaper! 

"Would you two quit fighting!" a third voice said that apparently came out of nowhere.

Both children were startled, but settled quickly; Sirius on the other hand had to buckle down and not flee.

"Harry, would you quit sneaking up on us like that.  I thought you weren't going to come today." The girl said.

"Well, I changed my mind.  I need to tell you a few things."

"Fine, could you at least make yourself visible, it's unsettling talking to thin air." Ron said.

Suddenly before the two students a pearly white form appeared. Sirius blinked rapidly in the sunlight as he saw the ghost of his godson. He nearly transformed and ran to the trio, but Harry's next words stopped him.

"I need to tell you what Remus and the Headmaster have told me about Sirius Black."

Sirius listened in dread as Harry told his two friends the story the entire wizarding world believed. His ears perked up in interest, however, when Harry told his friends about the prophecy Trelawney had made.

_Wormtail had run!_ Sirius was so angry. He had almost determined to find the rat's trail (as impossible as that would be) when he heard Harry extracting promises from Ron and the girl (Hermione, he had called her if Sirius had heard right) to not wander into danger.  He explained that they might be in danger because they were his friends.

Sirius decided then and there that he would do all he could to protect these two students.  If he could not protect his godson, he could protect his friends.

And he would keep an eye out for Wormtail.

"What do you mean he is dead?" hissed the …thing that was Voldemort's current state of being to his recently returned servant.

"He…w…was killed, M…my Lord. L…last year when the Ch…chamber of S…secrets was opened!" said Wormtail nervously.

"Who opened the chamber Wormtail?" said a seething Voldemort.

"Y…your d…diary My L…lord, L…lucius M…malfoy!"

"He will be dealt with after I have regained my body," Voldemort said, vowing to punish the man who had usurped the one job he craved.

The school year rolled around through winter and into spring and still there was no sign of Sirius Black or Voldemort, however, Albus was still on edge.  The underground rumors were not pleasant.

"Is it ready Wormtail?" Voldemort asked.

"Y…yes. We j…just need an enemy M…my L…lord."

"Yes, that is a consideration, isn't it? Who is the family you hid with all those years?" Voldemort asked.

"The W…weasleys."

"Ah, yes, I remember Arthur Weasley very well.  Tell me which Weasley is closest to our current location?"

"B…bill is in E…egypt. Ch…Charlie is i…in Romania."

"Bill Weasley, he was a few years younger than you, was he not?" Wormtail nodded vigorously. "You will fetch him from Egypt and he will accompany us back to England."

There was a knock at the door.  Bill looked at his watch and frowned.  There shouldn't have been anyone else in the building at this time of the afternoon.  He got up, walked over to the door, and opened it.

A short man in hooded robes stood there, wand pointed at Bill. "_Imperio!_"

A few minutes later Bill Weasley left work and disappeared.

"They say he just disappeared?" Harry asked trying to calm Ron down.

"Nobody has seen him for two weeks Harry! He just disappeared!" Ron said frustrated.

"Why though? It doesn't make sense.  Who would want to hurt Bill?" Hermione asked, the voice of reason.

"I don't know.  But remember what the ministry said? They said our family was in danger because Sirius Black, for some reason, had kept our family picture."  Ron said miserably.

"We are now ready!" hissed Voldemort as they approached the grave. Wormtail tied Bill to the headstone because he was beginning to fight the Imperious curse on him.  Then he fetched the cauldron.  He placed his master in the cauldron and started the ritual.

"_Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!_" A fine dust came up from the grave and sprinkled into the pot.  Bill Weasley, now fully aware, looked on in horror, not understanding exactly what was going on, but knowing it was _not_ good.  The pot sparkled blue.

"_Flesh of the servant, willingly given, you will revive your master!_" Bill saw the man take a dagger out and…_slice his own hand off_!  The potion turned red.

Then the whimpering figure approached Bill.  He stiffened as he recognized the man before him.  He tried to spit out the gag, his mind reeling. This was impossible! He had died more than twelve years ago!

Wormtail used the dagger to stab Bill's arm and take some blood. Returning to the cauldron he said, "_Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you will resurrect your foe!_" and dumped the blood in. The potion turned blindingly white and moments later Lord Voldemort emerged from the cauldron.

"Robe me," he commanded.  Wormtail, cradling his mangled arm to his chest, one handedly put Voldemort's robes on him and them crumpled to the base of the cauldron, trying to staunch the bleeding stump.

Voldemort laughed coldly and stretched his new body.  He reached into his robe pocket and pulled out his wand.

"Mister Weasley, I thank you for coming to my rebirthing party," He then aimed his wand at Bill and started using an intricate and long incantation.  Then he undid the bindings on him and removed the gag and said, "Now go!"

Bill Weasley disappeared.

"Now, I will call my servants!" and he pressed his fingers over Wormtail's Dark Mark.

Bill Weasley found himself unable to control his own body as he apparated and started walking toward Hogwarts.

Dinner was going along as usual when there was a disturbance at the Head table.  Snape, to the left of Dumbledore, suddenly gasped and gritted his teeth.

"Severus? Are you okay?" asked the Headmaster in a low voice.

Severus, a frightened look in his eyes, dropped his left arm below the table and turned so only he and Albus could see it. He lifted the sleeve, afraid of what he would see there.  The Dark Mark burned a deadly black.

Dumbledore looked at it with a closed expression, letting nothing get past his face. Then he stood and addressed the students as Severus covered his arm.

"Students, I need all of you to return immediately to your common rooms.  Please go in an orderly fashion.  The house-elves will bring the rest of dinner to you there."

There was chaos for a few minutes as students tripped over each other, frightened by the seriousness in the Headmaster's tone.  Dumbledore was attempting to regain order, when the doors of the Great Hall opened.

"Bill!" shouted Percy, Fred, George, Ron and Ginny all in unison.  All eyes followed the oldest Weasley brother as he approached the Head table.

"Voldemort…is…alive." He said in an unnatural voice and then collapsed. A few students screamed, some started crying.

"Silence!" came Dumbledore's commanding voice over the din. "Return to your houses, at once!" this time there was a stampede to get to the door.

About three-quarters of the student body were out of the Hall when it happened.  A green light surrounded Bill Weasley where he lay on the floor and it drifted up and formed itself into a skull with a serpent coming out of the mouth, the Dark Mark.  The rest of the students, except for the Weasleys and Hermione, fled.

Dumbledore was tending to Bill as they approached.

"Sir?" Percy piped up hesitantly.

Dumbledore straightened up with a mournful look on his face, "He is dead."

A/N: Ha ha ha ha! ***evil laughter***  I am soooo evil. So where we are now in time? It is almost the end of what would have been Harry's third year, and Voldemort is already back! And Bill is dead.


End file.
